Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the GX series, they belong to their respective owners/creators. This story is just made for fun.
A/n: Here's chapter two everyone~ Thank you all that have fave and followed this story, and a special thanks to ShiroHollow96 for messaging me about the story :3 Anyways, without further ado, here's the story~ A lot of time skips mind you haha.
It took maybe two days, but Jou had finally finished the papers to adopt Judai. Pegasus was one of the ones supporting and writing as a witness and testify to the social workers that Jou was fit to be a parent. Although, Pegasus offered a job to Jou as payment for helping with the adoption, considering that working in a sandwich shop wasn't enough to support the both of them.
And so, the blond started working as an assistant to some rising Card Designer that Pegasus discovered.
It was a simple job really, just listening to what his so called boss wanted and needed, such as getting coffee or just help photocopying documents and such, and Jou was able to fulfill it. Plus, Jou got a sneak peak of some of the new Duel Monster cards and such being made, and was fascinated by it. It also helped that his new boss was allowing Jou to bring Judai to work, considering his new boss also had a son a year younger than Judai.
"Thanks again for having me as your assistant. Although I could be inexperienced working some place like this, I'll admit it's kind of better than my old job," Jou spoke one week in his job, holding some of the sketches of the card designs this week.
Ignatius Phoenix, the man that Jou was working for, looked up from his work and smiled softly, "To be honest, I was a bit skeptical to have an assistant. Always used to working alone you know?," He chuckled as he sat up straight, "But you proved to be quite helpful and more. Ed actually adores you,"
Jou flushed and grinned, rubbing the back of his head, "Daw, well Judai adores him more than I,"
Ignatius Phoenix was a twenty something year old man that was discovered three years ago after graduating in his masters of media and web designing. He showed promise as he was designing his 'Destiny Heroes' and Pegasus ate it up. The young man unfortunately declined at first, saying he needed to be there for his son, Edo. But of course, Pegasus offered that he would give the child a good future and finance the both of them, and in the end, Ignatius agreed.
How Ignatius had the now four year old was a sad yet typical story. Before leaving college, Ignatius was in Japan for an internship and, being young and wanting to explore, met a sweet Japanese honey and had one passionate night. It wasn't months before Ignatius left, the woman announced she was pregnant with his child. It wasn't long that he had asked to marry her, since Ignatius had a belief of the child to not grow up born out of wedlock, but the woman surprisingly said no. Once Edo was born, she dumped the child to Ignatius and was never heard of again.
Leaving the poor man to raise Edo on his own.
In Jou's opinion, the woman was a selfish hussy that didn't know what she lost.
"Jou, you honestly are a big help...before you came, I was always busy with work and Edo has always been so lonely. I don't trust babysitters that much anymore since a lot of them tend to be untrustworthy," Ignatius said with a small smile as Jou smiled back.
"Nyeh, as I said, it's no trouble. Judai already thinks of Edo as his little brother,"
Speaking of, Judai had rushed in with Edo lagging behind him.
Edo was a beautiful child, and Jou couldn't help but gush over him at times (but he still loved Judai more). The white skinned four year old had the biggest bluest eyes he's seen, and soft looking silver hair. Honestly, Jou would've thought that this little angel would've been a girl if Ignatius didn't tell him he was a boy.
"Momma, momma! I got a cool hero card from Edo!" Judai was waving his new card up for Jou to see, as the said blond sighed with a pout.
"Honestly, why on Earth do you keep calling me Momma, I told you to call me Daddy," Jou made a face as Ignatius chuckled behind him.
"But Mr. Jou, you look like a Momma," Edo spoke up smartly, and if Jou didn't think the other was adorable, he would've bonked him on the head.
Having Judai for a week or so had been the best moments in Jou's life. Judai was at first shy, considering that he was still feeling whoozy of being drugged and silent. But as the days passed, Judai was showing his smiles and happiness again just as Jou found him that night. When Jou had to start his new job and brought Judai along, it seemed that Edo and Judai clicked easily and became fast friends. Since Judai didn't know what to call Jou at the time, Edo was the one that suggested that Jou should be called 'Momma'. When both Ignatius and Jou asked why, Edo had the strange idea that if Judai and him would be true brothers, then his dad and Jou had to marry sometime, and since Ignatius was his 'Papa', that would make Jou the 'Momma'. And so, Judai was stuck with that idea and reffered to the blond as his Momma.
Ignatius patted Jou's back with a chuckle, "You do have a motherly air around you..."
"Don't encourage them," Jou huffed as the children giggled and soon were running out the room again happily.
"I haven't seen Edo this happy. I'm glad that you and Judai came into our lives,"
Jou looked back at the soft look that Ignatius had and the blond felt his cheeks flush, "Y-Yeah well, I'm glad me and Ju also got to meet you and Ed...you made us feel welcome and you actually gave me inspiration to draw,"
"Speaking of which, this design you have," Ignatius then held up a picture with a tilt of his head, "I've never seen this design before,"
Jou froze for a moment, and then breathed out, "That's not my drawing,"
Ignatius noticed that Jou went pale for a second and softened, "Jou, is everything alright?"
"Er, yeah," Jou waved him off and smiled weakly, "I'm fine,"
Jou had kept that drawing that was done by Judai. Apparently this 'Yubel' friend of Judai's has been around ever since the boy could remember. The figure that he drew was a scary looking woman monster thing with bat like wings, hair half indigo and half white, claws and those haunting teal and orange eyes. Jou felt nervous of Judai drawing something like this but waved it off as Judai having an active imagination. Although...he started to notice that Judai talks with this 'Yubel' and sometimes heards Judai saying no to some of the things 'she' says.
Jou still has yet to talk to Yugi about all this, and he will one of these days.
"Jou, can I ask you something?"
The blond blinked as he looked up from his desk, in the middle of editing some of the cards that Ignatius was designing, "Sure Iggy, what's up?"
Jou had been given permission to call his boss that, since Ignatius insisted in a sense and Judai had made to call him 'Mr. Iggy' in a way.
The Card Designer bit his lower lip, as he was fiddling with the manga ink pen he had in his hand, "...would it be...um, unprofessional to ask my assistant to dinner sometime. Just the two of us?"
Jou looked surprised at this for a moment and then blushed, "Er..."
"Actually, if that makes you uncomfortable, we are bringing the kids as well. As I've said before, I don't have a lot of options of babysitters for Edo alone so-"
"Ignatius," Jou placed a hand up for a moment as he then was feeling his heart race for a moment, chuckling weakly, "You're sweet, and so kind, and I really do like you but...I-I just can't accept a date of just the two of us. I'd rather we just be friends and all..."
Ignatius' eyes softened, then smiled knowingly, "You still have someone in your heart?" It wasn't accusatory, it was more of curiosity and knowing.
Honey eyes averted away in guilt, as Ignatius laughed.
"I know when someone holds a candle to another. The look of yours says it all," The grey haired man smiled weakly, "It's okay. I'm glad you are honest with me. And yes, we can still be friends, so don't look so worried, okay?"
Jou looked thankful at this and smiled softly.
Hiding behind the door, two little ones were pouting in disappointment.
"Aw, so I guess your Momma won't be my Momma anymore..." Edo pouted as Judai giggled and ruffled his hair.
"Maybe not, but you're still my bro no matter wait,"
"You promise?"
Judai smiled and hugged the shy four year old, "Of course! I promise, I'll love and protect you always!"
Another week later, Jou was walking with Judai out from the Chinese restaurant they had dinner at, and Judai eating the last piece of his fortune cookie before reading out loud his fortune.
"You will lose something precious, but gain something more...Momma, what does that mean?" Judai asked, his big brown eyes looking up at him.
"Dunno kiddo, I don't usually believe in that," Unlike with the things he did with Yugi and the gang, this was a complete knockoff.
Suddenly, a police car rushed passed them, and was stopping by a building along with an ambulance. Jou wondered what was going on and realized that the building was Ignatius and Edo's home. Having a bad feeling in his gut, he picked Judai up in his arms and rushed to the scene, where a crowd was forming. Peeking over the heads of the people, Jou's eyes widened at seeing a shaking teary Edo on the steps, being comforted by a female police officer and two paramedics brining out a black body back.
"M-momma, what's going on?" Judai wiggled in his arms as he had spotted a sad looking Edo, "Why's Edo crying? Where's Mr. Iggy?"
Jou wanted to fall, as his face paled at piecing together what had happened. In the end, he had approached a cop, telling him who he was and was explained everything. Apparently someone had broken into the home and must've stolen something at the same time, murdered Ignatius Phoenix and ran once hearing Edo coming in. Jou listened with a heavy heart, as Judai had gotten away from Jou's arms and was now rushing to Edo, who immediately was clinging to Judai crying.
"I-I'll take the child," Jou suggested as he then explained himself, "I've worked with Ignatius for a while and Edo is like family to me and my son. I don't think Edo would like being taken into child services,"
The police looked a bit put out, but then sighed, "Alright. But I'll have to call Mr. Crawford to just confirm. You understand don't you?"
"I understand," Jou nodded and thanked the police once more as he then walked over to the children.
Judai was clutching around Edo and looked up to Jou, then whispered softly, "Momma, let's go home now,"
Jou sensed his son's urgency and frowned, "Why, what's the rush?"
"It's still here..." Judai looked around, eyes wide and protectively holding the four year to him.
"What's still here?" Jou asked quietly, now worried.
Judai was silent for a moment, then said lowly, "The thing t-that killed Edo's Papa...It's still around,"
Jou paled slightly as he picked both boys up in his arms easily and was walking out of the scene, not knowing that eyes were following their every move.
After hearing and talking with Pegasus about what happened, Pegasus suggested that Jou and the children should move back to Domino since it seems that they aren't save in San Francisco anymore. And once again, Jou asked for the favor of helping him adopt Edo too. Pegasus almost wanted to say that he couldn't but judging from Edo not wanting anyone else other than Jou and Judai, and the fact that there wasn't a relative that could take Edo in...and so, once again Jou had adopted another little one.
It was...difficult at first. Not only was Edo experiencing nightmares, Judai was starting to have night terrors too. This ended up Jou having the two sleeping in his bed and he couldn't go anywhere without the two at his side. Apparently Judai dreamed that a 'scary man in all black' was trying to take him and Edo away.
It didn't help also that some guy named Kyle Jables, who proclaims he was an old longtime friend of Ignatius', was claiming he had a right to be Edo's guardian. And now that Ignatius was gone, Jou was jobless again. Meaning that blasted Kyle guy could turn this again Jou somehow and bring this to court.
So, he followed Pegasus' advice and with his help, he left America to go back to Domino City, Japan with Judai and Edo.
Which is why the were currently on plane, five minutes til landing in Domino Airport.
"Wow! This is Japan huh?" Judai said excitedly, looking out the window, "This is where the King of Games live!"
"And you'll get to meet him," Jou smiled as both Edo and Judai looked at him in shock, "I told you he's my best friend,"
"Yeah, but we REALLY get to meet the Yugi Moto?!" Judai was bouncing in his seat, and even the quiet Edo looked a bit excited.
Jou laughed then saw the seatbelt sign was on and then looked the two, "Alright, strap up guys, we're gonna be landing soon,"
How long has it been since he left Domino? It almost felt like years. Jou was both excited, and a bit nervous. Either way, he knew Yugi was waiting in the airport and had a little surprise for him. Although, Jou knew what the surprise was.
Soon they were landing into the airport, and were coming down from the plane and were not in the baggage claim for their stuff.
"Jou!" A familiar voice called and Jou lifted his head to see Yugi rushing over to him, and three little ones behind him.
The blond smiled brightly and turned to him as Edo and Judai were adjusting their little luggages, Edo's being the Blue Eyes White Dragon and Judai's was Red Eyes Black Dragon on them.
"Yug! Good to see you again," He then blinked as he saw three kids with Yugi and smiled, "So these are the little munchkins you talked about in your emails, huh?"
Yugi smiled and looked a little flushed. A year before Jou had left, Yugi had talked about adopting to fill the emptiness he felt since the Pharaoh had left. Not only one, but apparently he had three. One was the oldest, with dark teal hair and steel colored eyes, the middle child reminded Jou of Judai, but with lighter teal hair and emerald green eyes, and the last tiny one was being carried by Yugi, with aquamarine hair and silver eyes.
"Oh! I should introduce you," Yugi explained with a smile, "The oldest here is Ryo, he's eight. The second oldest here is Johan, he's five. And the last one here," He adjusted the little one in his arms, "Is Sho, he's four,"
"Then you should meet my munchkins," Jou then was holding hands with Edo, "This is Edo, he's four and a half...and this little guy is-"
"Hi! I'm Judai!" The brunet chirped up as he was in front of Johan, who blushed a little and then smiled.
"Hello, Judai, I'm Johan," The child with green eyes spoke softly, having his hand out and shook hands with Judai.
Jou and Yugi blinked, then looked at each other and laughed.
Looks like it was a start of a beautiful friendship...and the start of a new life for Jou and the kids.
Oh no, it would seem that things are getting tense. And now Edo has join the family. So what happens next? Find out next time~! Reviews are appreciated and thanks for reading~!